Tub and washing machine having the same

ABSTRACT

A tub and a washing machine having the same which omit an air chamber cap, thereby reducing production costs and decreasing the number of water leakage points. The tub of the washing machine includes a diaphragm extended downward from the inner surface of the tub to form an air chamber at one side of the lower portion of the tub, and a drain hole formed beneath the air chamber to discharge wash water.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0010245, filed on Feb. 2, 2011 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments relate to a washing machine having a tub provided with an air chamber to detect a water level.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, a washing machine is an apparatus which washes laundry through friction from among the laundry, wash water and detergent placed in a drum by agitating the laundry, the wash water and the detergent using drive force of a motor.

In such a washing machine, a water level sensing device to detect a level of wash water in the tub is installed in the tub so as to supply a proper amount of wash water to the tub.

The tub is provided with an air chamber filled with air, and an air hose, one end of which is connected to the water level sensing device, communicates with the air chamber.

As wash water fills the tub, a pressure of air in the air hose is raised, and the level of wash water in the tub is detected by measuring variation of the air pressure.

When the tub provided with the air chamber is formed by injection molding, an air chamber hole to prevent interference during removal of the tub is formed at the lower portion of the air chamber.

In order to prevent water leakage through the air chamber hole, an air chamber cap is connected to the lower portion of the air chamber through fusion.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an aspect one or more embodiments to provide a tub having an air chamber to detect a water level and a drain hole to drain wash water in which a process of connecting an air chamber cap to the air chamber through fusion is omitted to reduce production costs and decrease the number of water leakage points, and a washing machine having the same.

Additional aspects of one or more embodiments will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice.

In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments, a washing machine includes a main body, a tub disposed within the main body in the vertical direction and including a water chamber to store wash water and an air chamber disposed at one side of the lower portion of the water chamber to detect a level of the wash water stored in the water chamber, a spin basket disposed within the water chamber to accommodate laundry, a diaphragm disposed within the tub to divide the water chamber and the air chamber, an opening formed on the diaphragm to enable the wash water in the water chamber to be introduced into the air chamber, and a drain hole formed beneath the air chamber to enable the wash water in the water chamber to be discharged to the outside of the tub via the opening and the air chamber.

A drain pipe on which a drain control device is installed may be connected to the drain hole.

A protruding boss part to which the drain pipe is connected may be formed on the tub.

In accordance with another aspect of one or more embodiments, a washing machine includes a main body, a tub disposed within the main body in the vertical direction to store wash water, an air chamber disposed at one side of the side wall of the tub to detect a water level, a drain hole formed integrally with the air chamber and located just beneath the air chamber, and a drain pipe connected to the drain hole to discharge the wash water stored in the tub to the outside.

The air chamber may be formed between the inner surface of the tub and a diaphragm extended downward from the inner surface of the tub.

An opening may be formed on the diaphragm to enable the wash water to be introduced into the air chamber.

A drain pump to forcibly discharge the wash water in the tub to the outside may be connected to the drain pipe.

A drain valve to intermit discharge of the wash water in the tub may be installed on the drain pipe.

In accordance with another aspect of one or more embodiments, a tub includes a water chamber to store wash water, an air chamber disposed at one side of the lower portion of the water chamber to detect a level of the wash water stored in the water chamber, a diaphragm provided to divide the water chamber and the air chamber, an opening formed on the diaphragm to enable the wash water in the water chamber to be introduced into the air chamber, and a drain hole formed beneath the air chamber to enable the wash water in the water chamber to be discharged to the outside of the tub via the opening and the air chamber.

A protruding boss part to which a drain pipe is connected may be formed on the tub.

In accordance with yet another aspect of one or more embodiments, a tub disposed within a main body of a washing machine in the vertical direction to store wash water includes an air chamber disposed at one side of the side wall of the tub to detect a water level, and a drain hole formed integrally with the air chamber and located just beneath the air chamber.

The air chamber may be formed between the inner surface of the tub and a diaphragm extended downward from the inner surface of the tub.

An opening may be formed on the diaphragm to enable the wash water to be introduced into the air chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of one or more embodiments will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the lower portion of a tub of the washing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating a region around an air chamber of the washing machine of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a washing machine in accordance with another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine in accordance with an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a washing machine 1 includes a cabinet 10 forming the external appearance of the washing machine 1, a tub 11 disposed within the cabinet 10 to store wash water, a spin basket 12 rotatably disposed within the tub 11, and a pulsator 13 disposed within the spin basket 12 to generate a water current.

An inlet 24 is formed on the upper surface of the cabinet 10 so that laundry is put into the spin basket 12 through the inlet 24. The inlet 24 is opened and closed by a door 23 installed at the upper portion of the cabinet 10.

The tub 11 is suspended to the cabinet 10 by suspension devices 16 connecting the lower portion of the outer surface of the tub 11 to the upper portion of the inner surface of the cabinet 10.

A water supply pipe 18 to supply wash water to the tub 11 is installed above the tub 11. One end of the water supply pipe 18 is connected to an external water supply source and the other end of the water supply pipe 18 is connected to a detergent supply device 17. Water supplied through the water supply pipe 18 is supplied to the inside of the tub 11 together with detergent via the detergent supply device 17. A water supply valve 19 is installed on the water supply pipe 18 to control supply of water.

The spin basket 12 is provided in a cylindrical shape, the upper surface of which is opened, and a plurality of dehydration holes 14 is formed on the side surface of the spin basket 12. A balancer 15 may be installed at the upper portion of the spin basket 12, thereby allowing the spin basket 12 to be stably rotated at a high velocity.

A motor 25 to generate drive force to rotate the spin basket 12 and the pulsator 13 and a power switch device 26 to simultaneously or selectively transmit drive force generated from the motor 25 to the spin basket 12 and the pulsator 13 are installed at the outside of the lower portion of the tub 11.

A hollow-type spin-drying shaft 28 is connected to the spin basket 12, and a washing shaft 27 installed in a hollow of the spin-drying shaft 28 is connected to the pulsator 13.

The motor 25 is a direct drive (DD) motor having a variable velocity function, and simultaneously or selectively transmits drive force to the spin basket 12 and the pulsator 13 according to ascending and descending operation of the power switch device 26.

The power switch device 26 includes an actuator 29 to generate drive force to switch power, a rod 30 rectilinearly moving according to operation of the actuator 29, and a clutch 31 connected to the rod 30 and rotated according to operation of the rod 30. The actuator 29 may employ an electric motor to generate rotary force but is not limited thereto. That is, the actuator 29 may employ a hydraulic cylinder, a linear motor, or a solenoid device, etc.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the lower portion of the tub of the washing machine of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view illustrating a region around the air chamber of the washing machine of FIG. 1.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the tub 11 is formed integrally by injection molding using plastic, and includes a water chamber 50 to store wash water and to accommodate the spin basket 12 therein, and an air chamber 51 provided at one side of the lower portion of the water chamber 50 to detect a level of the wash water stored in the tub 11.

The water chamber 50 and the air chamber 51 are divided from each other by a diaphragm 52 extended downward from the inner surface of the tub 11.

The diaphragm 52 is provided with an opening 53 through which the wash water in the water chamber 50 is introduced into the air chamber 51.

Although this embodiment illustrates the lower end of the diaphragm 52 as being slightly separated from a bottom 20 of the tub 11 to form the opening 53 between the lower end of the diaphragm 52 and the bottom 20 of the tub 11, the opening 53 may be formed at a position higher than the bottom 20 of the tub 11 by a designated distance.

Further, although this embodiment illustrates the tub 11 as including a protrusion 54 protruding outward and the air chamber 51 as being formed at the inside of the protrusion 54, the air chamber 51 need not be formed at the inside of the protrusion 54.

Instead of the protrusion 54 protruding outward from the tub 11, the diaphragm 52 may protrude inward and be bent downward and thus the air chamber 51 may be formed between the inner surface of the tub 11 and the diaphragm 52.

The air chamber 51 formed to have a circular cross section having a designated diameter D1 may be provided between the protrusion 54 and the diaphragm 52. The air chamber 51 may be provided such that the diameter D1 of the air chamber 51 increases downward from an upper end 55 of the air chamber 51.

A diameter D2 of a drain hole 60 passing through the bottom 20 of the tub 11 is slightly greater than the diameter D1 of the air chamber 51 so that a mold part forming the air chamber 51 may be slid downward through the drain hole 60 when the tub 11 is removed from a mold, and the drain hole 60 is provided just beneath the air chamber 51.

However, if the cross section of the air chamber 51 and the cross section of the drain hole 60 are not circular, the cross-sectional area of the drain hole 60 needs to be greater than the cross-sectional area of the air chamber 51.

As shown in FIG. 1, one end of an air hose 33 filled with air communicates with the upper portion of the air chamber 51. The air hose 33 extended to a proper length is installed between the tub 11 and the cabinet 10, and the other end of the air hose 33 communicates with a water level sensing device 32.

The water level sensing device 32 detects a water level in the tub 11 by measuring variation of pressure of air in the air hose 11.

That is, as wash water is stored in the water chamber 50 of the tub 11, wash water is introduced into the air chamber 51 through the opening 53, and the water level sensing device 32 detects the water level in the tub 11 by measuring pressure of air in the air chamber 51 and the air hose 33 varied according to the introduced wash water.

Particularly, the inside of the air chamber 51 is decompressed when the wash water in the tub 11 is drained, and thus the water introduced into the air hose 33 is re-sucked toward the air chamber 51. Therefore, water collected in the air hose 33 may flow toward the air chamber 51.

The drain hole 60 through which the wash water in the tub 11 is discharged is formed beneath the air chamber 51.

That is, the lower surface of the air chamber 51 is not closed and directly communicates with the drain hole 60. A first drain pipe 21 may be connected to the drain hole 60 (with reference to FIG. 5).

A protruding boss part 61 may be formed at the drain hole 60 so that the first drain pipe 21 is fixedly connected to the boss part 61. The first drain pipe 21 may be pressed into the inner circumferential surface of the boss part 61 or be clamped to the outer circumferential surface of the boss part 61, thus being fixed to the drain hole 60.

A drain valve 62 serving as a drain control device may be connected to the drain hole 60, thus intermitting drainage.

The drain valve 62 includes a front drain line 63 connected to the drain hole 60, a drain basin 65 installed on the front drain line 63 in the horizontal direction, and a rear drain line 64 to discharge wash water having passed through the drain basin 65 to the outside.

The drain valve 62 may further include an operating rod 68 movable forward and backward, a bellows type switch hole 66 connected to the operating rod 68 and horizontally installed within the drain basin 65, and a tension spring 67 installed within the bellows type switch hole 66 to prevent the bellows type switch hole 66 from being opened by pressure of wash water.

Here, the operating rod 68 may be connected to the actuator 29 generating drive force to switch power so that the operating rod 68 moves forward and backward.

Therefore, rotation of the spin basket 12 is prevented and only the pulsator 13 is rotated and the drain valve 62 is closed simultaneously during a washing cycle by operation of the actuator 29, and the spin basket 12 and the pulsator 13 are rotated and the drain valve is opened simultaneously during a spin-drying cycle.

In the above structure, operation of the drain valve 62 may be ineffectively executed according to the position of the drain valve 62. However, in an embodiment, since the drain hole 60 is located beneath the air chamber 51 provided at the side wall of the tub 11, a sufficient space between the actuator 29 and the drain valve 62 is formed and thus a design to prevent an operation failure of the drain valve 62 is easy.

The rear drain line 64 of the drain valve 62 is connected to a second drain pipe 41 to discharge wash water to the outside.

The second drain pipe 41 is located to a height lower than the bottom 20 of the tub 11 so as to naturally drain the wash water in the tub 11 when the drain valve 62 is opened.

Through the above configuration, the tub 11 including the air chamber 51 and the drain hole 60 may be formed integrally by injection molding and formation of an air chamber cap to close an air chamber hole generated during the injection molding process of the air chamber 51 is not required.

Therefore, in accordance with an embodiment, instead of closing of the air chamber hole generated during the injection molding process of the air chamber 51, the drain hole 60 to drain the wash water in the tub 11 is applied, thereby reducing production costs, improving productivity and increasing product reliability due to decrease of the number of water leakage points to one point, i.e., the drain hole 60.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a washing machine in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, a drain pump 22 serving as a drain control device to forcibly drain wash water in the tub 11 may be installed on the first drain pipe 21.

The drain pump 22 includes an impeller (not shown) to forcibly suck wash water to drain the wash water, a pumping motor (not shown), an inflow port (not shown) to which the first drain pipe 21 is connected, and a drain port (not shown) to which the second drain pipe 41 to drain the wash water to the outside of the main body 10 is connected.

The outlet of the second drain pipe 41 draining the wash water to the outside of the main body 10 is located at a position higher than the full water level of the tub 11 so as to prevent natural drainage of the wash water in the tub 11.

Therefore, if the drain pump 22 is not operated, when wash water is supplied to the tub 11, the wash water is not discharged to the outside through the drain hole 60 and is continuously stored in the tub 11, and if the drain pump 22 is operated, the wash water in the tub 11 is discharged to the outside through the drain hole 60. Thereby, drainage may be intermitted without any separate switch valve.

Hereinafter, an operating process of a washing machine in accordance with an embodiment will be described in brief with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

When the washing cycle is started, a controller (not shown) opens the water supply valve 19 to supply wash water from the external water supply source to the inside of the water chamber 50 of the tub 11. Here, since the drain motor 22 is not operated, the wash water fills the water chamber 50 upward from the bottom 20 and fills the air chamber 51 simultaneously.

Simultaneously with filling of the air chamber 51 with the wash water, air within the air chamber 51 and the air hose 33 communicating the air chamber 51 is compressed and thus air pressure therein is varied, and the water level sensing device 32 detects a level of the wash water in the tub 11 by measuring variation of the air pressure.

When the level of the wash water reaches a designated water level, the controller (not shown) closes the water supply valve 19 to stop water supply and operates the motor 25 to start the washing cycle.

Thereafter, when the washing cycle has been completed, the controller (not shown) operates the drain motor 22, and the wash water in the tub 11 is discharged to the outside through the second drain pipe 41.

As is apparent from the above description, a tub and a washing machine having the same in accordance with an embodiment omit an air chamber cap, thereby reducing production costs and decreasing the number of water leakage points.

Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 

1. A washing machine comprising: a main body; a tub disposed within the main body in the vertical direction, and including a water chamber to store wash water and an air chamber disposed at one side of the lower portion of the water chamber to detect a level of the wash water stored in the water chamber; a spin basket disposed within the water chamber to accommodate laundry; a diaphragm disposed within the tub to divide the water chamber and the air chamber; an opening formed on the diaphragm to enable the wash water in the water chamber to be introduced into the air chamber; and a drain hole formed beneath the air chamber to enable the wash water in the water chamber to be discharged to the outside of the tub via the opening and the air chamber.
 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a drain pipe on which a drain control device is installed, is connected to the drain hole.
 3. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein a protruding boss part to which the drain pipe is connected to, is formed on the tub.
 4. A washing machine comprising: a main body; a tub disposed within the main body in the vertical direction to store wash water; an air chamber disposed at one side of the side wall of the tub to detect a water level; a drain hole formed integrally with the air chamber and located beneath the air chamber; and a drain pipe connected to the drain hole to discharge the wash water stored in the tub to the outside.
 5. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the air chamber is formed between the inner surface of the tub and a diaphragm extended downward from the inner surface of the tub.
 6. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein an opening is formed on the diaphragm to enable the wash water to be introduced into the air chamber.
 7. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein a drain pump to forcibly discharge the wash water in the tub to the outside, is connected to the drain pipe.
 8. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein a drain valve to intermit discharge of the wash water in the tub, is installed on the drain pipe.
 9. A tub comprising: a water chamber to store wash water; an air chamber disposed at one side of the lower portion of the water chamber to detect a level of the wash water stored in the water chamber; a diaphragm provided to divide the water chamber and the air chamber; an opening formed on the diaphragm to enable the wash water in the water chamber to be introduced into the air chamber; and a drain hole formed beneath the air chamber to enable the wash water in the water chamber to be discharged to the outside of the tub via the opening and the air chamber.
 10. The tub according to claim 9, wherein a protruding boss part to which a drain pipe, is connected is formed on the tub.
 11. A tub disposed within a main body of a washing machine in the vertical direction to store wash water, the tub comprising: an air chamber disposed at one side of the side wall of the tub to detect a water level; and a drain hole formed integrally with the air chamber and located beneath the air chamber.
 12. The tub according to claim 11, wherein the air chamber is formed between the inner surface of the tub and a diaphragm extended downward from the inner surface of the tub.
 13. The tub according to claim 11, wherein an opening is formed on the diaphragm to enable the wash water to be introduced into the air chamber.
 14. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the tub does not have an air chamber cap connected to the air chamber.
 15. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the tub does not have an air chamber cap connected to the air chamber.
 16. The tub according to claim 9, wherein the tub does not have an air chamber cap connected to the air chamber.
 17. The tub according to claim 11, wherein the tub does not have an air chamber cap connected to the air chamber. 